The 19th Hole – Golf & Forever Love

May 28, 2014January 31, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 43 Comments

INSPIRATION: My Dad’s lifetime love for the game of golf, and our eternal love for him.

I don’t want this post to be a downer, but we are fast approaching the one year anniversary of my Dad’s death. My Mom, husband and I went to his “condo” (mausoleum) at the cemetery to visit over the Memorial Day weekend. We kept it light, brought his favorite golf clubs along, and just tried to remember the good times. In his honor, I set a very casual tablescape for the Memorial Day barbeque at our house. The threat of storms forced us inside to eat, but this is a tablescape that would be ideal for a golf banquet, Father’s Day, a fun birthday for the avid golfer, or for just getting together after hitting the links.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

This tablescape began with a hunter green 90″ x 132″ tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com that represented the lush greens of the golf course.

Each place setting began with a clear plexiglass charger. Beneath it I placed a custom-made menu for our Memorial Day meal bearing a photo of my Dad in full golf mode. Simple white Corelle dinner plates are used, along with clear glass stemware. The hunter green napkins are corralled with a green rattan ring embellished with a couple of Daddy’s golf tee’s. The casual white flatware is from T.J. Maxx.

My Mom & sister found this birdhouse with “The 19th Hole” on it in the clearance aisle at Tuesday Morning. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it generally refers to the golf clubhouse where golfers gather after the final hole of play. I added the words “Honoring Jim Wilson” to the portico using a Sharpie. I trimmed the rooftop with ivy to cover a missing dormer and add a little more character to the miniature structure. The personalized golf ball is one created by my cousin to put in memory bags for family members at Daddy’s funeral last June.

Golf balls from Daddy’s stash pop up on tees from pots of faux grass as an extension of the centerpiece.

I created golf flags – usually found on the putting green – using our home computer. I just used a thin strip of hot glue to affix the banner part to a kabob skewer.

The buffet behind the dining table is dressed with a “Titleist golf ball” made of carnations. (To see another carnation centerpiece ball, click HERE for “Boys of Summer Baseball Tablescape“.) The floral ball is set atop a weathered wood pedestal from Pottery Barn. I cut the logo out and affixed it to the floral ball using black pearl head pins. The carnation golf ball is flanked by clear glass vases filled with Daddy’s golf balls and brimming with faux fountain grass. In front of the floral ball are a few items from Daddy’s golf stash including a tournament glove & personalized towel and a real Titleist golf ball. On the side of the buffet are a few clubs from a set of one of Daddy’s many, many, many and a pair of his golf shoes (minus the cleats on my carpet! 🙂 )

The vintage tea cart in the corner holds my “Hole In One” 5-Flavor Bundt Pound Cake on another of the Pottery Barn pedestals to cap off our Memorial Day feast. The miniature grapevine wreath will go on Daddy’s “condo door” on his birthday in December, but for now it’s just decoration. (Want the recipe for the 5-Flavor Pound Cake? Just click HERE to visit the “Recipes” page!)

I hope your Memorial Day weekend was one of both relaxation and reflection.
Thank you so much for stopping by!

Rockin’ blog parties I’m linking to this week:
⇒ Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” at Between Naps on the Porch

Grill It Up!

May 19, 2014August 7, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 52 Comments

INSPIRATION: BBQ Towel/Napkin, just $1 each from Dollar Tree

Memorial Day weekend, in addition to its primary purpose of paying tribute to our loved ones who have passed on, marks the unofficial start of Summer. Grilling and a picnic atmosphere are both a huge part of this time of year. We’re getting our Summer picnic table for 6 kicked off with a 90″ x 132″ economy white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com topped with a fun red & white checkered 60″ x 126″. These linens wash up really well, so no worries…slather on the bbq sauce!

Each place setting begins with a basic black dinner plate from the Dollar Tree topped with a smoky red crock (I can just taste the baked beans now!) from T.J. Maxx/Home Goods. The white flatware is also from T.J. Maxx.

Mason jars – typical at many family gatherings I attended as a kid – have become a staple in farm chic entertaining in the past few years. Here the old-fashioned drinking vessels are accented with a fun black & white striped straw from Michael’s.

What summertime picnic is complete with juicy, ripe strawberries? Try serving them up in something fun like this luscious red miniature colander from Old Time Pottery.

A duo of inexpensive clear glass water carafes from Big Lots is set up on each end of the table. A slice of lemon is added to each to add a little color and flavor as well as to make the carafes an integral part of the centerpiece.

“Ness’ Snow Cloud” African violets are presented in shiny red pails from Hobby Lobby and placed atop a Pottery Barn galvanized aluminum tray for a simple centerpiece.

The side table is set up with additional beverages iced down in a galvanized aluminum tub from Home Goods. A galvanized tin tray from Home Goods holds various sauces including two hometown favorites. The fun ant-covered plates are from Pier 1. Veggies for kabobs are served up on a cherry red Chantal serving dish.

My Dad – a farm boy-cum-business/civic leader – passed away last year, and while cleaning out the garage my Mom found his old Coleman lantern, thought to have been purchased in the late 1960s – early 1970s. As you can see, it saw some use in its heyday. It’s now a treasure for me as a reminder that “You can take Daddy out of country, but you can’t take the country out of Daddy.”

The grill master (or grill mistress, as it were!) has everything he/she needs including a porky little friend who ditched his chalkboard to hold the matches. The red plastic serving baskets are great for serving up ribs when lined with parchment paper!

Let’s get those coals going!!!!!!

Other posts on this site suitable for Memorial Day weekend get-togethers:
All-American Seafood Boil
Stars & Stripes
Ants In My Pants Picnic
Black, White & Red All Over
Blue & White Family Picnic

Other posts on this site using towels as napkins include:
“Popsicle Party”
“Black & White Barnyard Breakfast“
“Most Egg-cellent Fall Breakfast“
“Grill It Up!“
“Italian Honeysuckle”
“Picnic Ants“

I’ll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” again this week and linking up with BeBetsy.com, a terrific lifestyle site with loads of fabulous ideas from knowledgeable and talented contributors. You can also find lots of great ideas at a fun new blog party, “Table It!” over at Christine’s Rustic & Refined.

Here’s wishing you all a safe holiday weekend!

Spring Green

April 9, 2014April 9, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 57 Comments

Join me starting at 6:00 CDT tonight for
Cuisine Kathleen‘s Birds/Eggs/Nests Tablescape Challenge!!!

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com: Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous - Full Centerpiece view from side of table

INSPIRATION: Flowers left over from my Mom’s 85th birthday luncheon (Click on photo to go to this post.)

I had a ton of flowers left over from the ladies’ luncheon I hosted for my Mom’s birthday a couple of weeks ago, so I put together a quickie tablescape to demonstrate how some of these same flowers could be used in a less formal but nonetheless pretty luncheon or brunch setting for Spring or Summer. This setting would also be ideal for a baby shower (especially if the gender is unknown!), special adult birthday, bridal shower or luncheon, engagement party, Mother’s Day gathering, rehearsal dinner, or even a garden club get-together.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

As with the luncheon, full-length 90″ x 132″ white tablecloths from LinenTablecloth.com were used. The table this time, however, is configured to seat 8 instead of 12, with the two 6-ft. tables kissed together lengthwise to create an “almost square.” (Consider this table arrangement in rooms where multiple tables will be set up, too. A mix of rounds, “squares” and oblongs is very pleasing to the eye, helps settle the problem of too few or too many place settings at a table, and can offer varied centerpiece opportunities!)

The place settings here are quite pared down compared to my Mom’s luncheon! A square rattan charger from Tuesday Morning anchors the setting. A very feminine and pretty white scrolled plate from Home Goods is set out for lunch.

A cotton napkin in spring green and white from Stein Mart is simply tented and placed atop each plate. The flatware – also used in last week’s “All A’Bloom in Pink for Spring” tablescape – is Hampton Forge’s “Bamboo Mirror” stainless steel pattern. The glassware is from Dollar Tree.

All of the flowers needed to be re-cut anyway to keep them fresh longer, so that was the perfect opportunity to rearrange them into different vessels. Lined moss-covered flower pots make beautiful small arrangements to complement the centralized large whitewashed metal pitcher. Whitewashed metal planters flank each end of the table-length centerpiece, with all of it anchored by a sheet of moss. (Flowers and greenery: white spider mums, peachy pink roses, peachy pink spray roses, fragrant stock, greenish white carnations, seeded eucalyptus, goldenrod, leatherleaf and variegated pittosporum)

Decorative white birds from Michael’s and bird salt & pepper shakers from Pier 1 dot the centerpiece. Small birds from Michael’s also rest at the tip of the forks.

Finally, the same white stretch chair covers from LinenTablecloth.com are used, this time without the white rosette chair cap or satin sash. Reducing the layers of fabric on the chairs serves to further reduce the complexity of the overall tablescape.

So, there you have it. From over-the-top fab one week to sweet, lovely and a whole lot easier to accomplish while maintaining quality results the next!

Other posts on this site featuring Spring tablescapes:
“Spring Has Sprung”
“The Bluebird Special”
“Daffodilyicious”
“Purple for Spring”
“Zen Garden”
“Mum’s the Word”
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“Taste of Wine Buffet”
“Goin’ Green for Spring”
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Buffet”
“Peony Power”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Daisy Crazy”
“French Poodle”
“All A’Bloom in Pink for Spring”
“Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous”
and the “Spring” tab above for a couple of fun Springtime tablescapes

In addition to Cuisine Kathleen‘s Spring Challenge (challenging us to present tables using birds, eggs and/or nests), I’ll be joining Susan again this week for “Tablescape Thursday”. I hope you’ll come visit these fine parties for a lot of inspiration and a whole lot of tablescaping fun!

All A’Bloom in Pink for Spring

April 1, 2014July 31, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 71 Comments

INSPIRATION: Crunchy, ugly, brown grass that just teases us with sprigs of green. 😦

It’s April 1 and still dipping below freezing each night. Would somebody PLEASE text Mother Nature and let her know she’s tardy for the party??!??!!!
(Click on any photo, and then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

If Mother Nature wants to play it that way and hold Spring back a while longer, I figured I’d just have to bring my own version of the season alive in the dining room!

Each place setting starts with a pink, green, buttery yellow and white Pier 1 cotton placemat upon the bare wood table. The placemats are turned vertically to create a slight drop off the side of the table. A deep pink Bormioli Rocca “Inca” glass charger is topped with Mikasa “Daylight” china, chosen for its graceful, leafy branches.

A brilliant pink carnation peeks over the rim of a white egg cup from Crate & Barrel. It is covered by a clear glass cloche bell jar from Hobby Lobby. (A brightly colored egg would make a nice substitute to create an Easter brunch setting.) A soft pink napkin from LinenTablecloth.com is simply folded and laid alongside the dishes with Hampton Forge stainless steel “Bamboo Mirror” flatware. The simple glassware is from Old Time Pottery. (Other posts on this site using cloche bell jars include “Pleasant Under Glass”, “Spring Has Sprung”, and “Apple Green Luncheon”.)

The centerpiece runs the length of the table so that each guest has a little eye candy in front of them. It is a melange of deep pink carnations in white ceramic teapots, white ceramic cylinders filled with small manzanita cherry blossom branches with carnations tucked around the lower perimeter, and white ceramic baskets of pale pink, yellow and white meringues. Notice how the colors of the centerpiece items reflect those in the placemats.

The buffet behind the dining table is partially covered with a the same placemats as used at each place setting to sweep the color and pattern across the room. On top of the placemats is an American Atelier white ironstone tray topped with various white ceramic teapots. Mikasa “Daylight” teacups and saucers stand at the ready nearby along with a few sweet treats. The floral vessels are taller, broader versions of those used on the dining table and also contain manzanita branches. Among the branches are stems of pink magnolias and more cherry blossoms. Notice how the cloche theme from the dining table is reiterated here.

The vintage tea cart in the corner holds a few more sweets beneath cloches, a pot of bright pink cosmos, and a stack of Pier 1 doily dessert plates. A fun chalkboard sign wishing guests a “Happy Spring” leans casually against the base of a yellow candlestick lamp. (For more candle lamps on this site, see “Raining Orchids“, “All A’Bloom In Pink for Spring“, “Should Have Put a Ring On It“, “It’s All About Me!“, and “Just Us Girls“.)

This easy-to-create table setting would work nicely for any Springtime celebration including a ladies’ luncheon or tea, birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, retirement, or to help rejoice in the good news of a breast cancer survivor.

Other posts on this site featuring Spring tablescapes:
“Spring Has Sprung”
“The Bluebird Special”
“Daffodilyicious”
“Purple for Spring”
“Zen Garden”
“Mum’s the Word”
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“Taste of Wine Buffet”
“Goin’ Green for Spring”
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Buffet”
“Peony Power”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Daisy Crazy”
“French Poodle”
and the “Spring” tab above for a couple of fun Springtime tablescapes

Thank you for stopping by! I’m headed over to Susan’s at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and to How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. I hope you’ll come with! And don’t forget to join me next week for Cuisine Kathleen‘s Spring Tablescape Challenge featuring entries from tablescapers all over the world!!!

Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous – Happy Birthday, Mom!

March 23, 2014February 21, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 80 Comments

There are certain moments in our lifetime that simply need to be extravagant. Yesterday, in celebration of 85 years of touching the lives of so many in only a way my Mom can, was one of those moments.

INSPIRATION: My Mom. Ever poised, elegant, and ahead of her time, but much more than that...forever young!

INSPIRATION: My Mom at 85. Ever poised, elegant, and ahead of her time; but much more than that…forever young!

If I tried to put my Mother’s lengthy & powerful resume on this post, I would crash the system. She has always been a go-getter in every sense of the word. I have only to aspire to her greatness in this life. For all that she is, all that she does, and all that from her has spurred me on, I wanted to bring a few ladies together again this year to celebrate. Mom has graciously consented to allow me to share her special day with all of you. Enjoy!
Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge/enhance it.)

To create this spring green and white birthday tablescape, I used all linens from LinenTablecloth.com. The tables are cloaked in 90″ x 132″ white tablecloths with a pair of beautiful white rosette runners. The chairs start with a fabulously utilitarian white stretch banquet chair cover topped with a white satin rosette chair cap. They are finished with a flowing white satin chair sash tied in a prim and proper bow. This look is perfect for weddings, birthdays, and all special occasions in need of an exquisite feminine touch! An extravagant look for a not-so-extravagant price point!

The 12 individual place settings begin with a silver metal charger. The Noritake “Whitebrook” china, embellished with white flowers and grey scrolls, is on loan from my sister who co-hosted the luncheon.

LinenTablecloth.com napkins in tea green serve as a lovely backdrop to the rose-topped favor boxes. The stemware for water and lemonade is basic glass from Old Time Pottery.

I created the 3-layer menus for the luncheon on our home computer. I used a photo of my Mom in her 20s as the watermark, mimicking the look of the invitations. I actually found the strength to do all the food preparation, too, with the exception of the rolls (Costco…those things are tasty!!!) and the cake! My sister and my friend, Barbara, expertly plated the food to presentation perfection!

The centerpiece….OH, that centerpiece!!! I wanted each guest to be able to enjoy a little bit all the way down the table, so I put together four medium-sized fresh florals (white roses, cream spray roses, white spider mums, seeded eucalyptus, leatherleaf and goldenrod) in silver julep cups, two smaller versions in miniature juleps, glass pilsner vases topped with white faux rose balls that extended slightly into the vases for a little drama, and then two moss covered dogs. Yes…DOGS! They represent my parents’ beloved dog, Cupcake, who is my Mother’s constant companion. I slipped a small glass votive into the little basket the dogs are carrying, jammed in some wet oasis, and then filled it with flowers. A really FUN and unusual centerpiece item that added whimsy to the overall look! Just across the way from the dining table I set up a silver tray with coffee service for after lunch.

Clockwise from upper left: My Mom with my social butterfly niece, Von; with my stylish cousin, Dee, whose scarf reminded us of movie stars from the 50s and 60s; with my cousin Cynthia, whose fabulous gloves boasted bows at the wrist, and; with my beautiful inside & out cousin Madeline from my Daddy’s side of the family.

Clockwise from left: Mom with her baby sister, Vivienne; with my stepdaughter, Robyn, who wore her hair as a fascinator instead of the actual fascinator hat (very clever!), and; my sweet friend & neighbor, Barbara.

Mom with my cousin, Irene, who was stunning in red & black. Check out those fishnet gloves and fabulous shoes!!!

Mom with my sister, Berishia, who is a cowgirl through and through as you can tell by the hat!

Mom and me…and yes, we both just happened to show up in blue!

As guests arrived they were invited to sign the guest book set up in the foyer and then join Mom for an individual photo op. (I just set the camera up on a tripod, and it was SO easy!)

Guests were then invited into the library to pick up a glass of moscato and view the cake which I had displayed on the vitrine.

Hail, hail…the gang was all here and it was time to eat! (Camera on tripod with timer feature…a Godsend!!!)

After lunch, the ladies serenaded my Mom with the birthday song. Despite a fabulous starting note from Irene, I still couldn’t get on key! Turn your volume down, folks…I’m standing right next to the video camera, and my singing kinda sucks!!! 🙂

Thanks again to my wonderful friend, Barbara, for all the help she rendered to make sure this party went off without a hitch!

It was a stellar day, and I am so grateful that I was able to recover in time to get everything together and actually look nice for the day. Oh…for those of you who did not know, this was my stylish footwear up until 3 days prior to the party: $Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com: Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous - Alycia with fracture boot$ SO glad I was able to trade this in for stylish pumps for a few hours!

If you’d like to see five other birthday party posts on this site, please pop in on these individual birthday party posts:
The Party She Deserves
The Bluebird Special
Blue & White 30th Birthday
Purple & Green Birthday
Happy Birthday, Barf!

Later this week I will join Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” (Wednesday after 6:00 pm, CDT) and Susan for “Tablescape Thursday” (Thursday after 9:00 a.m., CDT). I hope you’ll pop in on those fun blog parties with me! And check out a new link I’ve discovered, BeBetsy. It’s a wonderful lifestyle site featuring the work of fabulous bloggers covering everything from food to fashion that will blow your mind!

Valentine Tablescape – Queen of Hearts Card Party

February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 56 Comments

INSPIRATION: Dessert plates found in the clearance section at Tuesday Morning. Just $1.99 for each set of 4!!!

My Mom and I were out scouting after-Christmas bargains and ended up spending nearly an hour in the clearance section at one of our local Tuesday Morning stores. I saw these fun, modern “Queen of Hearts” dessert plates had been marked down 60%, so I scooped 2 sets right up. Imagine my surprise and sheer delight when I checked out and they were actually 90% off!!! I knew I had to do a fun and really different Valentine’s Day luncheon tablescape for my card shark pals. Yes…you people know who you are! (If you’re looking to buy some, I’ve seen them on Amazon.com for $13.99.)
(Click on any photo and then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

The rim of the otherwise pink, red & white dessert plates is chocolate brown. Valentine’s Day definitely = chocolate, so chocolate brown 85-in. tablecloth over a 108-in. round one it was!

The place setting begins with hot pink Bormioli Rocco Inca glass chargers purchased in a frenzied shopping spree a couple of years ago. Plain white Corelle plates for the entrée come next, topped off with the dessert plates in 3 of the 4 designs. A starched white cotton napkin drapes off the side of the table from beneath the stack. Simple stainless flatware and curvy Dollar Tree glassware completes the place setting.

Long story short: I found this standard card deck queen figurine on 80% off clearance at a nearby Hobby Lobby. Put her and a King in my basket, and then decided against them at the last minute. Slept on it, realized my huge mistake, got up at the crack of dawn and waited in the parking lot until the doors opened only to find out someone apparently much smarter than me already took them. Horrors!!! Drove to THREE other Hobby Lobby stores that day. Third time was a charm! Not only did I find the King & Queen, but also a Jack! Bent down, kissed the floor (not really…more like a Hollywood air kiss!), thanked the Lord, and hustled on home with my treasures. Interestingly, she was a Queen of Clubs, so I just used Hallmark heart stickers to give her crown and amulet a quickie makeover. Notice how staid she looks compared to the modern, curvy, sexy Queen on the plates. Still, both quite regal! (Seriously…these must have been created by some man with a Sophia Vergara fascination. Just look at “the girls” on that modern Queen!!! 😉 )

After lunch, the dishes and centerpiece will be cleared and IT IS ON like Donkey Kong as we used to say back in the day!!! (Back in what day?!?! I’m going to be chewed up and spit out. I have no idea how to play Hearts or any other card game!)

The vitrine holds plenty of sweet and salty snacks to munch on during the card playing portion of the afternoon.

The dessert plates do quote the 1782 poem that begins, “The Queen of Hearts, She made some tarts, All on a summer’s day…“, so what would this luncheon/card party be without a few tarts? (OK, those of you with randy little minds! Don’t go there!!! 😉 ) Faux tarts are used here for demonstration purposes, but I’ll be making some using mini phyllo dough shells for the luncheon.

I have created score cards for the occasion using my PC. From the looks of it, scoring is very complicated! A pretty red and pink cloisonné heart jewelry box serves as decoration for the side table.

So if you have no plans for Valentine’s Day or just want to do something fun with friends, a Queen of Hearts card party might be right up your alley!

More Valentine’s Day tablescapes on this site:
Should Have Put a Ring On It
Platinum & Pink Valentine
Diamonds Are a Material Girl’s Best Friend
Be Still My Heart
Peonies and Pearls
Chocolate Traditional
Days of Wine & Roses
Love’s Arrow

I’m linking up with The Tablescaper for “Seasonal Sunday” this week and Laurie for her annual Valentine Blog Party. This Thursday I’ll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” once again. Check it out to see what I’m sure will be a bevy of wonderful tablescapes from talented bloggers all around the world who join these weekly blog parties!

♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!!! ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦

Diamonds Are A Material Girl’s Best Friend

January 28, 2014January 7, 2015 / Alycia Nichols / 60 Comments

A portion of this post was featured along with an interview on trends in entertaining at home in the January 2015 issue of “Kansas City At Home” magazine!

INSPIRATION: My “no boys allowed!” dressing room

The decor in our house is pretty unisex…except for my dressing room! This is the one place that has a definite feminine touch with all the girly-girl trappings one might expect: chandelier, lavish antique dressing table, fainting couch near a window (yes, ladies…we all have our drama queen moments!), a tricked out nail station, bulging jewelry closet, stereo system, television (hoping for a flat screen to replace the outdated one in there now…anybody want to help me “accidentally” drop & break it? 😉 ), flowers, vintage hat boxes, innumerable handbags, and SHOES. Lots and lots and lots of shoes!!! And did I mention HATS? My cup runneth over with chapeaus of all make and occasion. It’s the place to feel all Marilyn Monroe and vogue to my heart’s content!
(Click on any photo and then again to enhance/enlarge it for fine details!)

I started this Marilyn-Monroe-in-“The-Seven-Year-Itch”-meets-Madonna’s-“Blonde-Ambition-World-Tour” tablescape with a sleek, sexy black full-length tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. It’s like the little black dress of the room! Consider the fine jewelry store. The salesperson lays out your selections on a black velvet fabric. Why? To enhance the shine of the jewels! Everything on your table, therefore, is highlighted to the nth power when set atop a black linen.

What does every Material Girl have plenty of everywhere? Why, mirrors, of course! So I started this place setting with a 13″ round mirrored charger topped with sleek black plates. TIP: This charger is a slick little way to discreetly check your lipstick or make sure there’s no spinach stuck in your teeth during dinner! 😉

Imagination is key when setting a fun fantasy tablescape for any occasion. (This one would work well for a birthday, wedding shower, bridesmaids luncheon or girls night out dinner.) For this über-feminine, straight-from-the-dressing room tablescape, an ivory LinenTablecloth.com “clutch bag” napkin fold is set atop each plate with an oversized “diamond” clasp. The flatware is International Silver’s “Royal Danish” pattern. The stemware is Cristal d’Arques.

I found these fun Marilyn Monroe note cards at Michaels Craft Store and thought they’d make really fun place cards. Just imprint the name of your guest along the bottom of the card perpendicular to Marilyn’s! The acrylic “diamond” place card holders are from Hobby Lobby.

A true Material Girl is bound to flaunt lots of bling, so I used the same rhinestone ribbon runners used HERE to trail the length of both sides of the table. Matching votive holders are used all over the setting. TIP: You can buy the votive holders already blinged out, or simply make them yourself with remnant pieces of bling ribbon.

I took a few hat boxes from my dressing room to create the centerpiece. If using fresh flowers, line the hat box with plastic in case of accidental spills. Place the roses in small vases and arrange them to fill & slightly over-spill from the box. Here I put roses in the center box but kept the lids on the two flanking boxes. To dress them up a little more, I added ruby red magnetic bling often used for enhancing chandeliers and other light fixtures. TIP: You can buy the bling in the lamp department at Hobby Lobby. These particular hat boxes had metal corner guards, so they were easy to apply. TIP: If you want to do something like this but don’t have metal on your hat box, experiment with taping magnets in strategic places inside the box for the bling to adhere from the outside.

I always like to create a little coordinating vignette on the buffet behind our dining table if it isn’t being used for food display.

Rarely do I have a round cake with a large base (thanks to my step-daughter and nieces who are dragging their feet about getting married!), so my collection of silver cake plateaus is often called into service for other decorating. Here, I used a silver beaded-edge “hoop skirt” stand to add a little shine and raise more hat boxes in the center of the display.

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed looking at the elegant displays in jewelry stores. The hand displays were particularly intriguing to me. Here I used a pair of display hands to hold petite red rose bouquets, flash oversized “diamond rings” from a store called Stuff in the historic Brookside neighborhood in Kansas City, Mo., and to string long, dramatic strands of bling garland through the fingers across the length of the buffet.

On each end of the buffet is a tall, sleek, 36-24-36 hourglass figure black glass vase from Tuesday Morning. The vases are topped with red rose balls and swagged with more of the bling garland.

The chairs on each end of the table got a little special treatment: fun French-inspired pillows from my dressing room depicting those fabulous black gloves like every socialite of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s used to wear. I added a pair of my own rhinestone-studded evening gloves for good measure.

Tea carts aren’t just for tea!!!

In a scene from “The Seven Year Itch”, Marilyn Monroe’s character is introduced to the martini:

Richard Sherman: There’s gin and vermouth. That’s a martini.

Marilyn Monroe’s character: Oh, that sounds cool! I think I’ll have a glass of that. A big tall one!
Quote Source: IMDB.com

I’m with Marilyn…I’ll have a big tall one, too! The vintage tea cart is set up with all the makings of a fabulous martini including vermouth, vodka, olives and plenty of shakers to quickly whip them up.

The china cabinet in the dining room often gets a little something-something to top it off, too.

One of the black velvet jewelry busts from my dressing room was brought in to this display weighted down with strand after strand of bling. Another hat box is filled with red roses and carnations and adorned with a pretty bling brooch from my Mom’s collection. A couple of other red rose balls complete the florals. This terrific black stiletto heel figurine was destined for my neighbor’s thrift store pile. She and her daughter thankfully thought of me before shipping it off, and it makes a nice addition! To give it a little extra kick, I tied a length of red ribbon ballerina-style down the heel. Sexy little number, huh? 😉

I wanted to kick 2014 off with a bang-up post since 2013 was such a royal bust. Since I felt like kickin’, I figured doing it with attitude in black stilettos was the way to go! 😉

Other posts on this site with lots of bling:
“Should Have Put a Ring On It”
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – The Princess & the Frog”
“Bling Wedding”
“Mandarin Bling”
“Platinum & Pink Valentine”
“French Poodle”
“Rhapsody in Blue”

Other posts on this site with red roses or floral balls:
“Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon”
“Days of Wine and Roses”
“Love’s Arrow”
“Kentucky Derby Buffet”
“Derby Day Dining”
“Run for the Roses”
“Lauren in the Library”
“Float Like a Butterfly”
“Diwali My Way”
“Show Me State Dinner”
“Roses in October”
“One Shoe Can Change Your Life”

I am delighted to join these blog parties this week:
Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday”

You can also catch me over at BeBetsy.com!

New Year’s Eve Tablescape – Hooray for Vodka!

December 29, 2013July 27, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 44 Comments

My niece bought me this fun placard a few years ago to celebrate my favorite libation.

INSPIRATION: My niece, Yvonne, bought me this fun placard a few years ago to celebrate my favorite party libation.

New Year’s Eve 2013 is just 2 days away, and I say, “Good riddance to you, 2013!” This year SUCKED for me in so many ways! My Dad got sick and passed away, I had surgery that has required many months of painful & tedious rehab…it just plain SUCKED!!! So I’m ready to party and kiss this year goodbye. Martini, anyone?
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it and see details up close.)

I wanted to include a photo of the room in natural daylight and one with the lights dimmed so that you get an idea of the lighting effects. A contemporary dinner/cocktail party like this is really easy to do, and the expense was kept to a minimum by using things I already had and shopping thrift stores.

I started this martini dinnertime tablescape with a 90″ x 132″ black tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. Black IS the new black, and it’s bringin’ sexy back stronger than ever! 😉

I played up the blue in the dishes by introducing a square French blue acrylic charger topped with a juxtaposed black one. The black dinner plates are topped with a salad plate and appetizer plate purchased at a crazy rock bottom price at a local thrift store. (I think this will put a big smile on Jamala’s (Vintage 4YourHome.com) face because she is a super thrifter!) Each plate depicts a portly waiter serving up a different vodka-based cocktail.

The contemporary styling of the J.A. Henckels “Bellaserra” flatware is perfect for this setting. The squared off handle complements the straight lines of the double chargers.

A flight of three miniature martini glasses from Crate & Barrel are at each place setting. I like to serve a different vodka-based drink at different intervals of the meal. A water glass is at each place setting because let’s face it…you can only drink so much vodka before your face is in the plate!!! 🙂 The black napkins are simply folded and laced through a French blue squared napkin ring that matches the charger. (Click HERE and scroll down to “And the Winner Is…!” to see another tablescape with a vodka flight.)

The centerpiece is what really brings the drama to this tablescape. For New Year’s Eve, it’s imperative that you include something that has lots of sparkle and light like the Times Square ball! I started the centerpiece with an inexpensive ($3 or $4) black framed door mirror from Old Time Pottery. Mirrors are a GREAT way to stir up drama on your table! (Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for other dramatic centerpieces on this site using large mirrors.)

The square bowls used here, believe it or not, are just black acrylic planters that you can pick up at any floral shop for a couple of bucks. I’ve even seen them in the garden department at Walmart! I chose them for the shape and color. Each bowl is filled with acrylic ice chips lit from beneath with tiny blue LED lights. (If you opt to use real ice, be sure your LEDs are waterproof!)

These are the LED lights used in the centerpiece. You can buy them just about anyplace like Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, or any floral or home accessories shop.

These cool double-decker glass votive holders were purchased on clearance at Pier 1 a few years ago. I like the way they reflect in the mirror beneath!

It ain’t a party unless you’ve got a swanky DIY bar goin’ on!!!

I borrowed these canvases from our lower level bar area & just propped them up on the buffet to hide the mirror on the wall. Adding fun art as a backdrop on your buffet is a little more of that drama I alluded to earlier. (Tip: Shop your house for accessories that can kick your tablescape up a notch.)

How’s THIS for drama? Same concept as what’s going on with the table centerpiece, but this time REAL ice is used to keep shot glasses teeth chattering cold for vodka shots!

Since I bought a whole case of the mini martini glasses, I thought it prudent to use them for serving hors d’oeuvres, too. The mini spoons are from Bed, Bath & Beyond. They also make great dessert vessels!

I have had this oversized martini glass for as long as I can remember. Since I would never dream of drinking a martini this large 😉 , it works nicely as an ice bucket. The silver scoop is a nice addition to fancy it up. Waterproof LEDs add a little zing.

I like to have at least 2 or 3 different brands of vodka on hand to suit guests’ tastes. Caviar is a perfect pairing with ice cold vodka. Hop on Google or Bing to see what other foods to serve with vodka-based drinks for both your cocktail hour and dinner.

Our vintage tea cart is used here as a secondary bar. Have you tried that Pinnacle Whipped Cream vodka?!??!?! T-A-S-T-Y!!! My son’s girlfriend makes something called an Orange Creamsicle. Basically just mix it with good orange soda (Orange Crush seems to be the best because it’s super fizzy) and top with whipped cream. I’ve also seen recipes that call for mixing the vodka with orange juice and lemon-lime soda. DEE-licious! But careful…that bad boy will sneak up on you and bring you to your knees if you’re not careful! 🙂

I wish you all a SAFE and very Happy New Year!!! Thank you for hangin’ out and – perhaps more important – hangin’ in there with me this past year! 2013 sucked a whole lot less because of you!
🙂 🙂 🙂

Other tablescapes on this site great for ringing in the New Year:
“Life Is a Cabaret”
“Fete Noir et Gris”
“Fire & Ice”
“Ringing In the New Year”
“White Hot”
“Little Black Dress”
“Happy Birthday, Barf!”
“Roses in October”

In loving memory of my Dad, James B. “Jim” Wilson, 12/9/23 – 6/12/13. Not a vodka drinker, but one helluva guy…and I miss him.

I’m linking to Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” this week, and I invite you to come along for the ride!

Platinum New Year’s Eve Wedding

December 28, 2013December 28, 2013 / Alycia Nichols / 40 Comments

This past week or so I have been missing the rip, run and raucous roar of the years I spent as a professional wedding designer. Thank goodness I have this blog to purge those feelings because Lord knows my body could not go back to that kind of grueling, back-breaking (literally!), sleepless schedule.
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it and see details up close.)

INSPIRATION: Sparkling silver & white Christmas tree napkin created by my friend & neighbor, Barbara.

I’m pretty sure I’ve said it like 100 times before, but I feel compelled to say it again: I have the best neighbors anyone could ask for!!! I was working on this tablescape for my winter 2013 “Art of Tablescaping” class that I teach through MCC-Longview, and up pops Barbara with these FABULOUS napkins!!! Her gift made me reevaluate the table and want to add design elements that would give it a little more zing. So I tore the tablescape down and started over!

The table is covered in a beautiful 90″ x 132″ platinum pintuck tablecloth from YourChairCovers.com. The diamond shape of the pintuck cloth fits right in with diamonds for a wedding!

This is a tablescape that – minus the napkins – could easily fit into any month of the year for a rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. For a Christmas or New Year’s Eve wedding reception, the napkins are spot on!

The place setting begins with a 13″ silverplate charger. The china used here is Easterling “Majestic” that my Mom gave to me a few years back. It’s staid design of dove grey rimmed in platinum with a white center to break up the concentration of color seemed perfect.

Each place setting has one of Barbara’s sultry, shimmery, beautiful napkins topped with a Moravian star. To see other tablescapes with Barbara’s napkin designs, click HERE and HERE. For the tutorial on how to create them yourself, click HERE for the YouTube video or HERE and scroll down to Tablescape Tip #31 for a step-by-step photo tutorial.

International Silver “Royal Danish” flatware, another gift from my Mom, is paired with Fifth Avenue crystal steak knives.

Mikasa’s “Jamestown Platinum” stemware is perfectly matched with the china.

The centerpiece is a mix of high and low with 29″ silver Revere candlesticks and multi-faceted candle holders in different shapes and sizes. I used rhinestone-studded wax pillars to add shine up high.

I gradually amassed this collection of faceted candle holders from Hobby Lobby and Home Goods over the years. Note how the glow of one of the votives on the table casts light beneath the rose ball. (To see another tablescape using some of these faceted votive and candle holders, click HERE for “Princess Pink Birthday”.)

The dining chairs are covered with silver satin universal chair covers recently purchased from LinenTablecloth.com. I love the way the so beautifully drape down the back of the chair! I used a fancy ornament hook to affix an embellishment of a pewter glass ball ornament, a clear glass ornament, and one of the Moravian stars which enhances the 3-D look.

The buffet behind the dining table is dressed with a huge faux evergreen, pine cone and white orchid arrangement in a beautiful mercury glass pilsner vase. The height of the arrangement helps to bring balance to the tall candlesticks on the table. Other elements from the dining table are repeated here including the rhinestone-studded pillar candles, the faceted candle holders in various sizes and shapes, the rose balls, and the Moravian stars.

The top of the china cabinet also has a few elements repeated from the table and buffet. Faceted crown candle holders hold white rose balls.

Other wedding-related posts on this site:
“Purple & Pastel”
“Bling Wedding”
“Roses in October”
“Showered in Pink”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – Princess & the Frog”
“Something Blue Bridal Luncheon”
“Autumn White Wedding”
“Fete Noir et Gris”
“Planning in Purple”
“Love & Orchids”
“Rhapsody in Blue”
“Dinner for the Ladies in Waiting”
“Tented Green!”

I’ll publish a fun, contemporary New Year’s Eve cocktail/dinner party post tomorrow that will also be featured on Cuisine Kathleen’s blog party, “Let’s Dish!”. next Wednesday anytime after 6:00 p.m. CST. Meanwhile, join me and other talented bloggers right now for fabulous Christmas and New Year’s Eve design ideas on Susan’s 276th edition of “Tablescape Thursday”!

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Progressive Dinner

December 24, 2013December 24, 2013 / Alycia Nichols / 32 Comments

It’s the night before Christmas, and I’m late getting photos of our 2013 Christmas decor and annual cul-de-sac Progressive Dinner posted! Very little chit-chat tonight. I hope all your stockings are hung and that you are ready to just coast from here on out!
(Click on any photo and then click again to enhance/enlarge it and see details up close.)

Every Christmas season several of the households on our cul-de-sac get together for a progressive dinner. It’s a chance to get together one last time before the bitter cold of January chases us all indoors, to share good food, and to check out everyone’s holiday decor. I wanted my neighbors to really enjoy the ambience during the entree portion of the dinner at our house, so I got busy!

I didn’t do a lot with the front entry door this year, nor did we put lights up outside. Next year when I’ve fully recovered, we’ll go all out again! Still, guests were greeted with a cheery wreath with our monogram.

Our library, to the immediate right as you enter our home, took on a very rustic look this year. I started the look when teaching my “Art of Tablescaping” class in that room, so after taking the table down I just embellished the existing decor with even more natural elements like huge moss balls on the urns flanking the vitrine, wood slices, whittled pencils, burlap and twine. To see that “Woodland Christmas” tablescape and read more about the design elements, click HERE.

On the chest at the top of the stairs is an arrangement I created in a mercury glass pilsner vase using faux greenery and orchids with an LED uplight to show it off. Really dramatic look when standing at the foot of the steps!

Back down the stairs and into the entryway is a decorated wreath over the mirror. Lots of LED candles grace the space beneath the wreath, proclaiming it all to be “Merry & Bright”. Notice the ivory “scrunchie” that covers the electric cord. Very clever way to hide it! (I invested in about a dozen of these in several colors at Hobby Lobby about 10 years ago.)

Every room has a very different theme, and this one is full of bright, cheerful color! I used many of these same elements to create 3 very different tablescapes for my “Art of Tablescaping” class. You can check them out HERE, HERE and HERE. After clearing the tablescapes and adding a few more fun pieces, this room is declared the Fun Zone! I won the wreath at the base of the mirror at a White Elephant party a couple of weeks ago, and it fit right in!

The brightly colored tree in the dining room has a Nativity scene beneath it. As we go back into the hallway, the table by the front door is decked out with a fun wreath and a huge LED candle. Let’s head to the living room…

We’ve moved furniture and made space in the living room for our Progressive Dinner tables. This year’s theme in this room is cardinals and reindeer. An additional theme of snowflakes was added for the dinner. The tables are covered with red full-length round tablecloths from LinenTablecloth.com. I recently purchased some ballroom chairs for events at home such as this, and they work out perfectly with cool white Spandex chair covers with contrasting red Spandex sashes, also from LinenTablecloth.com. (I LOVE these because they’re super affordable AND I don’t have to iron them!!!) This is a buffet dinner, so huge white acrylic snowflakes work as “chargers” at each place setting. LinenTablecloth.com red 20″ napkins are neatly folded into reindeer napkin rings purchased on clearance at Target last year. The centerpiece is a simple faux greenery wreath with meandering red ribbon, pine cones and red berries with a trio of LED candles (for safety!) in the center.

I created this arrangement in the window behind the kitchen sink on a moment’s notice. I wanted something really dramatic for the window that could be seen from outside. I simply entwined a curvy wrought iron candlestick with faux greenery, red berry vine and red lights. I made sure to drape the vine across the countertop for a more dramatic look.

Guests served themselves from a buffet in the kitchen. On the menu: a choice of Chicken Tortilla soup, Chicken & Wild Rice soup, or Chili along with nice, warm bread and iced tea. The fun red & white snowflake soup bowls and mugs are from Dollar Tree (yes…Dollar Tree!), and the snowy white ramekins – for those who preferred a “flight” of soups – are from Pier 1.

The fireplace mantel is heavily decorated with faux greenery, holly, red berries, pine cones, glass ornaments and cardinals. Reindeer stocking holders (Pier 1 clearance) on each end hold ornate red & gold silk stockings. Small trees in black urns flank the fireplace hearth.

These two lovey-dovey mice all dressed up in their Christmas finery are new. I saw them at T.J. Maxx and just fell in love with them. Their names? Ramon & Alycia, of course!!! 🙂

We have lots of black elements in the living room, so I played that up with black velvet pillows behind red silk ones with gossamer gold ribbon. The luxuriously soft throw is from T.J. Maxx. My bold gold reindeer make another appearance this year in different areas of the living room. (To see these reindeer used in other Christmas settings, click HERE and HERE.) On the table behind the sofa, a large red ornament rests above lots of lighted greenery and pine cones.

This year’s main tree is dressed in lots of red & gold ornaments including cardinals, musical notes, poinsettias and stockings. The tree is flanked by the two larger gold reindeer wearing sparkling wreaths around their necks. Gifts beneath the tree are all wrapped in colors that reflect the room’s color scheme.

The television armoire across the room always gets a little treat, too. This year the decor mirrors that of the mantel with a huge red ornament (just like the one on the sofa table) rising up like a phoenix from behind.

All very different looks throughout the house. My mind was just going in a million different directions, and I just let the decorative chips fall where they may! 🙂

Merry Christmas, everyone!